Top 15 all time

Some of this talk about Kobe being the "best ever" got me thinking of what my top 15 would be. Kobe is nowhere near the best ever, he might end up the best of his generation, but people forget what some others have accomplished. Right now I put him right at #15. I'd put him in the top 10 if he can win another ring though.

1. Jordan SG Best player on the planet for about 10 years, won 6 titles in 8, with only one other great player
2. Magic PG Helped revitalize league, was the best player on a team that went to 8 Finals and won 5 titles with flair.
3. Bird SF Helped revitalize league, was the best player on a team that went to 5 Finals and won 3 titles with grit.
4. Russell C Won 11 rings, was the best all around player on that team.
5. Chamberlain C All time scoring champ for a long time, dominated in all phases when he wanted to, but bested by Russell's Celtics in the big games all but once. Only two titles.
6. Shaq C Four Titles, best player on three of them. Most powerful player ever.
7. Hakeem C Won 2 titles, best and most athletic center in league for over a decade.
8. Oscar Robinson SG The first do it all player. Averaged a triple double one season. 9 times first team All NBA. Only one ring, but carried some lousy Cinci teams until he got paired with Jabbar.
9. Duncan PF Best power forward ever. Really an extremely skilled Center who can play inside and out. 4 rings, best player on each team (even during his rookie season with Robinson)
10. Jabbar C Speak of the devil. All time scoring leader. Smart player. Has 6 rings. But never when he was the best player on the team.
11. Julius Erving SF Mr. ABA with the Nets. A highlight real player who could score at will. Only one NBA ring, but 4 finals apprearances and won a couple in the ABA.
12. Isiah PG Best little man ever. Two rings with the bad boys,
13. Havlicek SG 13 time all Star, 8 time champ. Though the second or third option on some of the early Celtic teams, he was the leader of 74 and 76 champs.
14. Jerry West SG 10 time First Team ALL NBA. Lead Lakers to Final after Final. But wasn't able to win until late in his career, leading the 72 Lakers to their first title in LA.
15. Kobe SG Best perimeter player of his generation. Clutch, athletic, unstoppable when he's on. Already has 3 rings. A fourth with him as the best player on the team will put him higher.

 

Not sure I could put Kobe in the top 25 yet. Top 50 maybe.

 

a list from wikipedia

A
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*
Nate Archibald*
Paul Arizin*

B
Charles Barkley*
Rick Barry*
Elgin Baylor*
Dave Bing*
Larry Bird*

C
Wilt Chamberlain*
Bob Cousy*
Dave Cowens*
Billy Cunningham*

D
Dave DeBusschere*
Clyde Drexler*

E
Julius Erving*
Patrick Ewing*

F
Walt Frazier*

G
George Gervin*
Hal Greer*

H
John Havlicek*
Elvin Hayes*

J
Magic Johnson*
Sam Jones*
Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the best to ever play the game of basketball.
L
Jerry Lucas*

M
Karl Malone
Moses Malone*
Pete Maravich*
Kevin McHale*
George Mikan*
Earl Monroe*

O
Shaquille O'Neal
Hakeem Olajuwon*

P
Robert Parish*
Bob Pettit*
Scottie Pippen

R
Willis Reed*
Oscar Robertson*
David Robinson
Bill Russell*

S
Dolph Schayes*
Bill Sharman*
John Stockton

T
Isiah Thomas*
Nate Thurmond*

U
Wes Unseld*

W
Bill Walton*
Jerry West*
Lenny Wilkens*
James Worthy*

 

That's the 50th Anniversary team, chosen in 1996. I don't even think Kobe was playing then. No Duncan, no Shaq on that list. Clearly they are all top 50 players. Just not in 1996.

Bill Walton had three good seasons in the league. Every other year he was hurt. Not sure why he's on that list.

 

Yeah it is an older list, but a lot of names there that I would put ahead of Kobe in the top 15-25.

 

I think another few years, whether he gets another title or not he is top 25.

I think with some of his past troubles, he may have to do a little more to get ahead of some of those names imo.

 

a few other names to think about, some you mentioned:

Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Allen Iverson
Jason Kidd
Bob McAdoo
Reggie Miller
Gary Payton
Dominique Wilkins
Joe Dumars
Adrian Dantley
Alex English
LeBron James
Dennis Johnson
Bernard King
Tracy McGrady
Artis Gilmore
Dirk Nowitzki
Steve Nash
Dwyane Wade

 

IMO, not really. Pistol Pete never won a damn thing. Great college player, but not an elite NBA player. Nate Archibald or Kobe Bryant? If I'm starting a team, its Kobe. And so on. (LOL, I started this thread to put some perspective on the Bryantfest, and I end up defending him).

Just Duncan would I rank as an elite of the elite. Maybe Garnett. Wade and Lebron could join them someday, but they have work to do. The rest were second tier guys.

 

In ten NBA seasons, Maravich, a five time NBA All-Star, scored 15,948 points in 658 games for a 24.2 points per game average (16th All Time). His NBA single game high, a 68-point explosion before fouling out, came against the New York Knicks on February 25, 1977.

(from wikipedia)

 

He took a lot of shots. The Allen Iverson of his time. And again, never won anything.

Very good player, great scorer, but cmon.

I'm talking about the all time greats here. Oscar Robinson was great. Jordan. Bird.